Without Zinc You Are Headed Towards Dementia or Alzheimer's
Zinc is one of those minerals that have been discovered
necessary to hold off the onset of dementia or Alzheimer's. Most
older people and those with dementia and other mental disorders
have been found to be deficient in zinc. In most studies zinc
has been shown to improve mental capacity in elders.
To get zinc into your blood stream you need to have a specific
acid that is excreted by the pancreas. This acid is called
"picolinic acid" When food containing zinc or zinc supplements
reaches the small intestine, duodenum, the pancreas excretes
picolinic acid. This acid binds with zinc and moves it across
your intestine wall and into the blood stream.
Picolinic acid is created in the liver and kidneys from the
amino acid tryptoph. This amino acid then moves into the
pancreas. If you have diabetes or if your pancreas is overworked
or weak, you will not be excreting enough picolinic acid and
will not be providing enough zinc to your brain. You will need
to supplement your diet with zinc.
The type of zinc you need is one that is bound with picolinic
acid. This type is called "zinc picolinate." There are other
type of zinc supplements such as zinc citrate and zinc
gluconate, but there are not absorb as good as zinc picolinate.
If you cannot get zinc picolinate then the next best is zinc
gluconate.
The body has many uses for zinc and this can contribute to a
deficiency of zinc in the blood for the brain. The body uses
zinc for helping,
* in chemical reactions with enzymes * with antioxidants to
prevent arteriosclerosis * with DNA to prevent dementia or
Alzheimer' * with cells activity * kidneys to maintain acid base
balance. * with carbon dioxide removal * make pancreatic enzymes
* your liver to detoxify alcohols * and the list goes on and on.
Here are some of the foods to add to your diet to get more zinc.
beef, lamb, cheese, yeasts, oysters, Shrimp, herring, sunflower
seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Sesame Seeds, wheat germ & bran,
Mushrooms, Spinach, Squash, Asparagus, Collard Greens, Broccoli
,Chard, Miso, Maple Syrup
Zinc can be toxic in excessive amounts. A safe amount to take is
20 - 25 mg per day. Do not take more than 40 mg per day. Toxic
effects are stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea.
Add these foods and zinc picolinate to your diet in an effort to
starve off dementia and Alzheimer's. There are a few more
special nutrients that you should include in your diet to
prevent degradation of your mental thinking.